By Laura Larissa Scott
not own a car. Brandy got a late start in school and has a learning disability, which puts her behind her peers, especially in reading. She was having behavioral issues at home and at school. A mentor entered Brandy’s life a little
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over one year ago. Whether Brandy and her mentor are reading together at the local library, swimming at the YMCA, or hanging out at the park, just talking and listening, she is being empowered to suc- ceed. She greatly benefits from the one- on-one attention, the homework assistance, the outings, and the activities she shares with her mentor. In fact, Brandy’s teacher reports that she seems to be more focused on her schoolwork and is getting along bet- ter with other students in her class. This positive outcome of mentoring is
no surprise to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Idaho. They report in a nationwide study (Making A Difference in Schools: The Big
randy is an outgoing first grader with a dimpled smile. She lives with a single parent who is on a fixed income. The family does
Brothers Big Sisters School-Based Mentoring Study) that within a one-year period, men- toring can make a real difference in the lives of our nation’s at-risk school children. The study also determined that mentored students were “becoming more confident in their schoolwork performance, were able to get along better with siblings, were less likely to begin using illegal drugs and were less likely to skip school.” According to their website, Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mis- sion statement is “to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring profes- sionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.” What is the time commitment involved
in mentoring a school-age ( 6–18 years) child in the Treasure Valley? It’s flexible, and may vary from one hour a week during school hours, to a few hours on a Saturday or an afternoon after school, either weekly or monthly, depending on the child’s and mentor’s schedules and unique needs. The important thing is consistency and a desire to become a positive role model in a child’s life.
MENTORING A
SCHOOL-AGE CHILD Empowering Kids to Succeed!
SNAPS (Special Need Adoption and
Permanency Services) offers a tailor-made mentoring program called YES (Youth Empowered to Succeed), which mentors local youth between the ages of 11 and 18 who are living in foster care. This program offers kids safe adult mentors who will “lis- ten and care” while providing them with hope of a successful future. Both the Boise and Meridian School
Districts have school-based volunteer men- toring programs available for those who can meet with a student during school hours. Mentoring a student may include one-on- one tutoring in a specific subject, helping a student who is learning English as a second language, or hanging out with a student dur- ing lunch. No special skills are required, other than a desire to help improve a stu- dent’s sense of self-worth and motivation to succeed in school, at home, and in the community. A mentor makes a student feel special, thus encouraging them to develop new life skills at their own pace in a familiar environment. The Mentoring Network, Inc. (for-
merly the West Canyon Mentoring Project) offers school-based mentoring to rural, school referred and at-risk students in grades 1–8 and continuing through high school in Nampa, Caldwell, Parma, Homedale, and Vallivue schools. Its mission is to “provide school-based, direct-to-youth mentoring that will improve life outcomes for vulner- able and disengaged children by developing resilience skills, supporting the development of personal strengths and increasing self- sufficiency.” Brandy and her mentor have been
involved in many school-based activities throughout the year. They have shared won- derful memories and have worked through some tough issues. Brandy has developed a new love of books and her mentor has enthusiastically re-entered the world of young children’s literature, a place she hadn’t visited in a while because her own children are now teenagers. Whether Brandy and her mentor are engrossed in a story, getting creative with arts and crafts, visiting The Discovery Center, planting pink petunias, stopping to get an ice cream, or swimming like dolphins at the YMCA, their time together has been worthwhile and interesting for both of them. This past summer Brandy learned how to swim at the YMCA and her mentor is thrilled with her progress and her beaming pride over her new aquatic skills. Brandy’s parent is also happy with her prog- ress at home and at school and thinks the mentoring Brandy has received has helped her grow in many positive ways.
32 TREASURE VALLEY FAMILY MAGAZINE | March 2012
EDUCATION & SCHOOLS
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